Ruby
by Lightning-Strike
Summary: A new trainer is making her way through Kanto, and causing an uproar in the process! But is she really all that everybody thinks of her?
1. Prologue: Phoenix Rising

Now let's see.how do I put this so that even a child could understand it.I know! I don't own Pokémon! Wasn't that easy? I don't own the Pokémon, but the main characters are mine. PLEASE, R&R, PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU!!! *ahem* Well, enjoy! Hey, who stole my cream soda!?  
  
In this ever expanding world of growing insecurities  
  
Many seek out a light, a beacon to guide them.  
  
So many Pokémon, many the weak, naïve ones, look to their trainers as that guide  
  
But so many of the humans are cruel or weak, and their light shines poorly through the dark.  
  
Then, there are a rare few people who love their Pokémon enough to pose as a light,  
  
And the guiding beacon can be seen in a Pokémon's eyes.  
  
Finally, there are the almost unconceivable humans  
  
Who care about their Pokémon and treat them as equals instead of weapons.  
  
The creatures are never forced to fight  
  
Rather, they fight because they love their trainer, and receive love in return.  
  
With the lucky few Pokémon who have a rare human such as this,  
  
They are truly radiant.  
  
  
  
The Beginning  
  
Kanto was in shock. Some people from Johto were beginning to hear about "her." She had gone through the Pewter Gym Leader's Pokémon with one hit each.from a FIRE TYPE Pokémon. No one knew her real name, for she hadn't told anyone. She carried six Pokéballs and was happily followed by a huge Rapidash with blue-white flames, a white Pidgeotto, and a black Persian. The strange trainer wore dark red jeans, a red velvet shirt, black shoes, and a crimson ribbon to tie her dark brown hair into a ponytail. Her bangs parted at the center to reveal a white rose shaped birthmark. Her emerald eyes pierced through everyone she looked at, reaching into their very souls.  
  
For lack of a better title, many began to call her "Crimson Fury."  
  
Those who saw the girl thought the title was greatly exaggerated. "Fury" was the wrong word entirely. Her stride was long, but tentative. Her eyes, which searched the hearts of anyone, were clouded by sadness, and the sorrow on her face touched those her eyes did not meet. She refused to ride on her Rapidash.  
  
Not a single person dared to say that her victory over the Pewter City Gym Leader was pure dumb luck. When a Charmeleon, a Pokémon with a weakness to rock, beats a rock type, with a resistance to fire, the trainer is either incredibly strong or incredibly strategic.  
  
.or both.  
  
Well, what do you think? This girl is a spin off of another character I've created. I like both of them SO much, but that's beside the point. Anyway, please review this and I might be inclined to put some more up.  
  
Well, that's about all! Talk to ya later! 


	2. Ruby

Pokémon isn't mine. Simple as that. Read, review, enjoy. Now, where'd that bag of M&M's go.  
  
Sorrow is a feeling with many words and many explanations,  
  
But few means of resolution.  
  
It takes many forms  
  
And many other emotions can join with sorrow,  
  
Creating a jumble of sensations  
  
Difficult to sort through and solve.  
  
It is a great victory to overcome sorrow,  
  
For more often then not we merely push it aside,  
  
Hoping to forget what pains us.  
  
However, unless we resolve our troubles  
  
The sorrow will merely continue to plague us.  
  
So many never learn this lesson.  
  
Ruby  
  
The faint sound of hooves on dirt was the only sound that could be heard on the trail. The procession was small, but it was slightly cheery. The black Persian at the front of the line pranced happily, meowing in delight about their recent victory over the Pewter Gym Leader. The ruby on her forehead glittered in the pale rays of sunlight that streamed down through the dense branches of the trees. Her green eyes matched the new leaves of spring appearing on every branch around them.  
  
Shadow, as her trainer called her, was the first Pokémon friend the girl had found. As a small Meowth, she had been attacked by wild Spearows and had almost been killed, but the young girl had saved her and nursed the wounded Pokémon back to health.  
  
That had been almost six years ago.  
  
The Rapidash that brought up the end of the line marched on with head held high. His flaming mane flickered in as many patterns as the sun shining through the leaves above them. His huge black hooves made surprisingly little sound as they touched the earth. He almost seemed to walk on the breezes.  
  
Windking, as the other Pokémon and his trainer knew him, had been her sixth Pokémon. As everyone knew, his spirit was free as the wind, hence his name. No one but his trainer and her other Pokémon friends could touch him without getting burned.  
  
The girl had only been five when they met.  
  
On the girl's shoulder was a white Pidgeotto. She occasionally cooed softly in delight at their first victory in a gym. Every few minutes the creature would ruffle her feathers, lightly touching her trainer's cheek with one gentle wing. Of course, if need be, that wing could become a powerful weapon.  
  
Nightingale had been the fifth Pokémon the girl had received. The Pidgey had come willingly to her, and she had never put it into a Pokéball. Nightingale was a powerful fighter, but was also one of the gentlest Pokémon her trainer had.  
  
She and Windking came on the same day.  
  
A girl with nine friends. Ruby never thought of herself as a trainer. She thought of herself as a lonely girl who just wanted some company. Other kids had called her weird. They had called her 'Cat-girl' because of Shadow, and because of her expressive green eyes. When she suddenly popped up somewhere (which happened very often, because people paid little attention to her until she walked past) they called her 'Phantom.' Because she always wore red (her favorite color) some had even begun to call her 'Vampire.' And she knew better than anyone how much rejection hurt.  
  
No one cared about her. That was how it sometimes felt. But then she would remember her Pokémon, her only friends, and she could smile. They cared about her, and for that love she would give everything, even her life, to protect them and keep them healthy.  
  
A small smile played across her lips at Shadow's chattering. Usually the Persian was quiet and meditative. Now here she was, dancing for joy that one of her friends had beaten an Onix and a Geodude. It was hard for Ruby to keep from laughing. She reached down and lightly touched the six Pokéballs that held her other six friends.  
  
Suddenly she swiped her hand across them all. Each ball opened, releasing a cloud of white energy that formed into a unique Pokémon. She crouched down and reached out one hand. Each Pokémon in turn placed their paw in her palm.  
  
What the heck is she doing? Shane asked as he watched the girl from behind a tree. He had heard about the trainer called "Crimson Fury" and decided to beat her, just to prove that everyone was overreacting. Of course, the fact that she beat rock types with fire unnerved him a bit, but why should he worry? After all, he was an aspiring young trainer, well on his way to gaining his second badge. He already had six Pokémon, all of which were strong enough to pummel any trainer in the area. Could this really be the girl that was causing an uproar over all of Kanto?  
  
He shook his head in confusion as he began to pick his way through the forest. All he wanted was to get ahead of the girl, get to a place where he wouldn't miss her pass. Thoughts of victory dazzled his mind.so much that he stepped on a twig. It cracked, a sound like a barrel of fireworks all going off in the still of the woods.  
  
Shadow narrowed her jade green eyes. She carefully crept forward, each step seeming to pull her into the ground. Soon she was nothing more than a Persian's shadow on the sun-specked trail. Then the silhouette bounded off.  
  
Shane was frightened. Please tell me I was just imagining it when that Persian turned into a shadow he pleaded to his mind. In seconds he was sure that what he had seen was real. The black Persian had melted into the shadows and was now coming after him.  
  
Thoughts of escape were now the only thing running through his mind. He quickly, quietly slipped through the sparse undergrowth, coming out onto the trail. He breathed a sigh of relief.then drew his breath in sharply when he saw a four-foot three Charmeleon glaring at him. He took a step back and felt his leg brush against something feathery. Looking back, he saw a four-foot one Wartortle regarding him with mock amusement.  
  
"You really shouldn't try to sneak up on people like that," Ruby said calmly. Blaster and Flicker walked over to her and she knelt down, rubbing the tops of their heads and under their chins. The Charmeleon began to emit a low growl of pleasure.  
  
"Is that thing purring!?" Shane yelled. Ruby looked up at this newcomer. She was always strangely nervous around people. The fact that she had been able to dictate her attack suggestions to her Pokémon was incredible to her. With so many people around watching she was scared out of her mind. She gladly would have called the battle off, had her friends not wanted to try so badly.  
  
The boy in front of her had tan hair, like the desert sands. His cerulean blue eyes were determined.to beat her. He wore a pale green shirt and navy blue jeans, and she could feel his explosive personality trying to gain strength enough to resist her Pokémon.  
  
"Y'know, your temper's pretty stormy," she said as Shadow rematerialized beside her. She stood up again and began walking toward him. "You like cool colors, apparently, and." she trailed off and closed her eyes. Shane was looking at her, shocked.  
  
"How did you know that?" he demanded. It was barely a question, more an order to reply.  
  
"You've probably never seen the ocean during a big storm before, have you?" Ruby asked, opening her eyes again. She was already sure that he hadn't, so she continued. "The waves have explosive force, ready to annihilate anything that comes within their reach. The thunder cracks like a whip in the sky, making the very rocks tremble in fear. The lightning bursts down from the sky like an angry god wreaking vengeance upon those who have disobeyed his orders. Your personality reminds me of that." She had reached him, fixed him with those piercing emerald eyes. He cowered slightly, then she smiled and passed him.  
  
At first Shane just stared after her and the Pokémon that followed her. Then he got his nerve back. "Hey, you're Crimson Fury, right!?" he called, running to catch up with the girl.  
  
"Sorry, my name's Ruby. I knew a Crimson, but I never heard the word Fury attached to her name. She was too gentle for that." Shane was now walking alongside the girl, Ruby.  
  
"Well, I want to battle you," he said, running forward and blocking her way. She stared at him with calm green eyes, a familiar look of sorrow on her face. Stealth glared up at Shane, then rubbed up against Ruby's leg.  
  
"If you insist," she whispered. Shane turned and walked off a few paces, congratulating himself on getting to whip Ruby.or Crimson Fury, as more knew her. 


	3. Second Victory, First Defeat

I can't believe it!  I'm actually updating this old fic!  Anyway, Pokémon isn't mine.  At the moment, I have my cat on my lap, and I'm betting that I look like one of those evil geniuses everybody sees in the movies, the ones that always have a cat on their laps that they stroke as they explain all their evil plots.  Well, this isn't exactly an evil plot, but it works for me.  R&R, please!  Okay, what'd I do with the Hershey kisses…?

Sorry about the formatting problem on the last version of this.  As soon as it came to my attention that it was all one single paragraph, I came and fixed it!  Hope it looks better!

_This is Pokémon talk._  They are NOT speaking English.  It's just being translated.

_I don't understand what happened._

_Once, not too long ago,_

_People and Pokémon were the best of friends._

_I never saw that time, but someone told me about it._

_She was there._

_The true masters would stand by their Pokémon in battle, _

_Taking whatever their Pokémon friends took,_

_Feeling the same pain._

_They were one, two parts of a whole._

_Now…_

_Pokémon are only weapons,_

_And the trainers don't care about the pain they put their Pokémon through._

_I wish I knew what happened._

_Crimson wishes she knew what happened._

_She looks at the Earth and weeps at what she sees._

_She's an angel now._

_My guardian angel._

_She never asked me to do what I'm doing now._

_I took this task upon myself._

_I will stand by my Pokémon friends in battle._

_I will feel their pain._

_And I will rejoice with my friends at every victory…and every defeat._

_            ~Ruby~_

**Second Victory, First Defeat**

Shane turned back to face Ruby.  He saw the girl staring at him, all nine of her Pokémon at her side: Charmeleon, Ivysaur, Wartortle, Pidgeotto, Rapidash, Persian, Porygon, Nidorina, Nidorino.  Each creature looked ready to fight with all they had, but Ruby just looked depressed.

"Three on three battle!" he declared.  Ruby shook her head silently.

"I wish you could understand," she murmured.  A spark of anger flared up into a bonfire inside Shane.  He grabbed a Pokéball and threw it out to the center of their battlefield.  

"I choose Pikachu!" he shouted.  The ball bounced once and opened, releasing a beam of white light that formed a small electric mouse.

"Pikachu," it said sweetly.

"What'll you choose?" he asked snidely as the empty ball returned to his hand.  Ruby smiled sadly and took a step forward.  Cannon moved in unison with her, while the rest of the Pokémon took a few steps back.

"Your move," Ruby said.  Her stance radiated confidence, one hand on her hip, the other at her side.  Cannon was just smirking with his arms crossed.  This single act of insolence made that bonfire a forest fire.

"Fine, then.  Pikachu, Thundershock!" Shane yelled.  The Pikachu seemed startled.  He turned to look at his trainer, then back at his opponent.  He cocked his head.

_Attack?_ the Pikachu asked, confused.

Ruby smiled, a small, bright smile, so different from her usual sad expression.  "Your Pikachu doesn't want to hurt us," she said to Shane.  He stared blankly at her for a moment, then started yelling at his Pokémon.

_You'd better listen to your trainer _Cannon said to the Pikachu.

The Pikachu looked back at his enraged trainer, then back at the Wartortle and the girl.  He sighed as sparks began to fly from his cheek pouches.

"Piii kaa CHUUU!!" he shouted, sending a concentrated blast of electricity at his adversary.  As though some silent signal had passed between them Ruby and Cannon both jumped to the side, easily avoiding the attack.

"Well, I guess it's my turn," she said, a bit more cheerfully.  "Hey Cannon, let's try Ice Beam!" she exclaimed.  Cannon looked over at her and she nodded, still smiling.  The Wartortle grinned and walked up to the Pikachu.

_Okay, here's the deal, _Cannon said.  _We just want you to play dead.  The Ice Beam won't hurt you if you agree.  Deal?  _He extended his hand.  For a moment the Pikachu just stared at the Wartortle, then he smiled.

_Deal _he said, smiling and shaking paws.

"What the heck are you doing!?" Shane shouted at his Pikachu.  As it looked back Cannon jumped into the air and withdrew into his shell.  It when it came out again a ball of shimmering white ice was in his mouth.  A crystal beam formed, headed straight for the Pikachu.

Startled, the Pikachu covered its head with its paws, feeling betrayed by the Wartortle and its female trainer.  After a few seconds of nothing, the electric mouse slowly opened one eye.  What he saw almost blew his cover.

All around him there was ice.  But he wasn't frozen.  Faintly through the prismic ice he saw the black Persian, eyes glowing bright green, gem on her forehead flashing.  He smiled at that, and prepared for his part of their deal.

"Okay, Cannon, let's break the Pikachu out of the ice," Ruby said calmly.  "Skull Bash!"  Cannon's ears flattened against his head as he charged forward, smashing headlong into the ice.  The ice cube cracked slightly, then shattered into a crystal rain.  The Pikachu fell onto his back, spread eagled, doing a wonderful impression of a knock out.

"Pikachu, return," Shane called angrily.  Latching the miniaturized ball onto his belt again, he grabbed another Pokéball.

"Go Rattata!" he called, throwing the ball into the makeshift ring.  It burst open, the white light materializing into a small Rattata.  Cannon stepped back as Shadow came forward, tail whipping back and forth.  The Persian walked up to rat, lowering her head so that she could see eye to eye with the creature.  A faint smile played across her face as she saw the other Pokémon's terror.  Then she licked it.  Stunned, the Rattata fainted.  Anger flaring, Shane returned his unconscious Pokémon.  

"You won't beat this one as easily," he muttered.  "I choose Charmeleon!" As he maximized the orb it tore open on its own, the blaze of white light forming a Charmeleon, a thirst for blood evident in his eyes.  Startled, Shadow backed away from the enraged Pokémon.  Bonfire, however, took the challenge, stepping into the battlefield and snapping her claws together.

"Are you sure about this, Bonfire?" Ruby asked quietly.  The Charmeleon nodded slowly, bracing herself for any coming attacks as she stood at her trainer's side.

"Charmeleon, Slash!" Shane cried.  The Pokémon raced forward, sharpened claws ready to tear at Bonfire.  The opponent merely shook her head and jumped, letting Shane's creature pass under her.  As Bonfire hit the ground, she swiped her tail along the trail, knocking Charmeleon's feet out from under him.  

Roaring in rage, the Charmeleon jumped up and began slashing left and right in Bonfire's direction.  Startled, she could only dodge the coming attacks, her opponent not leaving any room for her to make a move.

"Bonfire, Fire Spin!" Ruby shouted.  Her Charmeleon jumped back quickly, then up into the air, flames licking the edges of her jaws.

"Charmeleon, counter with Fire Spin!" Shane ordered confidently.  He could see that Ruby was getting edgy.  Flames poured from his Charmeleon's mouth as fire streamed from Bonfire's.  The flame's connected, swirling with each other, then exploding with a blaze of heat, spreading a thick gray smoke over the field.

Ruby couldn't see her Pokémon anymore.  She couldn't she Shane's either.  She could hear the two battling it out inside the smokescreen.  Flickering tail flames bounced by her, accompanied by the clash of claws and enraged cries from the opposing creatures.  

_This can't be good, _Ruby said to herself as a deep scream echoed through the forest.  _That was Shane's Charmeleon.  _A second, higher cry followed.  _That was Bonfire!  _Roars of fury echoed through the silence of the forest as Ruby backed slowly out of the smoke.

"So, you're giving up?" Shane asked as she emerged beside him.  Ruby gave him a sad look, but her eyes flashed with lightning.  

"That screen won't go down until one of them falls," she explained.  "This is a battle both want to fight alone.  It's the Charmeleon's primal instincts coming out for a fight-to-the-death battle.  Both want to win, both are determined to do it without the help of their trainers."

"So…you're telling me that the smokescreen is them telling us, 'I don't want help so buzz off'?"  Shane asked.  Ruby nodded, listening to the crackling of the Charmeleons' tail flames.  "And you're also telling me this they're gonna fight until the other one is dead?"  Again the girl merely nodded, keeping her emerald eyes on the black smoke.  

The haze began to thin out as the two trainers watched.  Both Charmeleon were standing, glaring at each other, deep slashes spilling blood to the earth and coloring the ground sunset red.  Then one of them collapsed.

"Bonfire!" Ruby cried.  Her Charmeleon was the one splayed out on the trail, gasping for breath as her life spilled through her claws.  "Return!" the girl shouted, pointing one of the red-and-white balls at the creature.  A beam of scarlet light shot out of the sphere, hitting the defeated Charmeleon and converting her into the same rose energy.  This was promptly absorbed by the orb.

Ruby cupped the Pokéball in her hands, trying to think of how she could end the battle quickly and get Bonfire to a Pokémon Center.  

"Charmeleon!" Shane yelled, concerned.  Looking back, she saw that the other Pokémon had collapsed as well.  She watched as the creature was transformed into red light, then sucked into a ball much like Bonfire's.  

"So, would it be fair to call this a draw?" she asked Shane.  He stared at her for a moment, disbelieving, then nodded.  The other Pokémon under Ruby's care lightly touched their respective spheres, willingly returning to them.  As if by some silent agreement, the two trainers headed off down the trail, Shane toward Pewter and Ruby toward Mt. Moon.

Well, this was interesting.  I can't believe I actually worked on this!  It's finally recapturing my interest!  Yay!  Anyway, I'd love it if you reviewed, and I'd love it even more if you would E-mail me (if you have time, anyway).  Well, hopefully I'll make another chapter, so, bye for now!


End file.
